Modi extends a warm welcome to Putin in Delhi

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in New Delhi on Thursday evening for a short 27-hour visit, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed him at Palam Airport with a warm embrace. The two leaders left the airport in the same car, according to Indian media NDTV.

Putin arrived in Delhi at 6:35 p.m. on Thursday. Prime Minister Modi will host a private dinner for him at night. This is a return gesture for Putin’s hospitality during Modi’s visit to Moscow last July.

The main summit will take place on Friday. After a ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan in the morning, lunch and bilateral talks will be held at Hyderabad House. In the morning, Putin will pay tribute at the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat and inaugurate a new India-based channel of Russia’s state broadcaster. In the evening, President Droupadi Murmu will host a state banquet in his honor. He will depart India at 9 p.m. on Friday.

Government sources say a large business delegation has arrived with Putin. India wants to reduce its trade deficit with one of its oldest strategic partners.

Officials from both sides have said that the summit will focus on three key areas—defense, energy, and trade. Several agreements and memoranda of understanding in the fields of shipping, healthcare, fertilizers, and connectivity are expected to be signed.

On Thursday, before the summit, the defense ministers of the two countries held detailed discussions. The issues included the purchase of additional S-400 air defense systems and the supply of military equipment delayed due to the Ukraine war. The S-400 system purchased under the 5-billion-dollar agreement signed in 2018 has played a significant role in Operation Sidurre.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has said that Russia may raise the proposal of supplying fifth-generation Su-57 fighter jets. This would place Moscow in direct competition with Western rivals such as the Rafale, F-21, F/A-18, and Eurofighter Typhoon.

India still remains the biggest buyer of Russia’s discounted crude oil. However, India’s purchases have slightly decreased due to recent U.S. sanctions on two major Russian oil companies.

Putin’s visit comes at a time when India-U.S. relations are viewed by several Indian officials as being at their most strained point in two decades. Washington has recently imposed a 50 percent tariff on various Indian goods, including an additional 25 percent tariff related to India’s purchase of Russian oil.

For Putin’s security, the Delhi Police have deployed more than 5,000 personnel across Central Delhi and New Delhi. SWAT teams, snipers, quick response teams, anti-drone systems, high-resolution CCTVs, and technical surveillance measures have been put in place.